KR101296802B1 - Working ship - Google Patents

Abstract

The ship (1) has superstructures arranged into decks (6, 8) lying one above the other, and a stack (5) extending upwards from a moon pool (3). An upper opening is formed on the decks of the stack, where the decks are provided with a removable or openly designed closure (7) i.e. dome or plate-like stack cover. Working and/or research units e.g. container, are arranged adjacent to the stack on the decks at defined application positions (9). The stack and the adjacently defined application positions are implemented for bringing of the working and/or research units.

Description

WORKING SHIP}

The present invention relates to a working ship having a ship superstructure divided into a plurality of decks stacked one after the other. Moreover, such working ships include moon pools and shafts that are formed long upwards in the moon pools. This shaft may have a base area that is substantially the same as a moon pool.

Examples of working ships in the sense of the present invention include research ships, drilling ships, exploration ships or floating platforms. A common feature of all these floating units is that they are designed to carry out specific activities such as research, exploration or development. Within the scope of the present invention the term "working ship" is considered to be purely set in relation to passenger ships and transport ships, in particular transport ships for common freight consignments.

Openings in the bottom of a ship's hull or platform that have direct access to the surrounding water are described as moon pools. Moon pools can be used to introduce or lower equipment into the water surrounding a ship or platform and to remove equipment from it. In most cases, it is easier to access the surrounding water through the moon pool than through rail or stern access. In addition, since there is almost no movement of water in the moon pool and the water level is essentially constant, it is possible to smoothly access water through the moon pool.

In theory, the research ship's moon pool contains limited resources that many researchers in other fields can use as effectively as possible. As a result, some members of the research group have difficulty accessing the moon pool at the same time. On the other hand, most of them are distributed to other research areas throughout the ship, so that each technical equipment for research must be given to the moon pool first.

In WO 99/32352 a working ship is known which comprises a main moon pool and a number of auxiliary moon pools arranged on its side. An additional array of moon pools allows two work units to work simultaneously. In this connection a side moon pool is arranged to compensate for the relative movement of the vessel relative to the first moon pool.

It is an object of the present invention to create a working ship that is flexible and can be used in interdisciplinary fields, especially in moon pool areas.

The object according to the invention is achieved through a working ship having the features of claim 1.

Other advantageous embodiments are indicated in the dependent claims, the description, the figures and the description of the figures.

According to claim 1, a working ship is developed in which a shaft is formed up to an upper deck or a deck above a water line. The shaft forms an opening which is sealed to prevent leaks or leaks by means of a closure designed to be removable or open or by a shaft cover of the deck. In addition, an operational position defined on at least one deck is provided along the shaft. Equipment for arranging work and / or research units is provided at this operating position. In addition, the shaft and adjacent defined operating positions are designed to introduce work and / or research units.

The core idea of the present invention can be found in that the shaft is formed above the moon pool up to the upper deck above the moon pool. This upper deck need not be the highest point or the highest deck of the ship. According to the invention it is sufficient if the shaft is formed long over the moon pool up to an upper deck or a deck intermediate to a certain height, whereby the door pool on the vessel, on the outside of the vessel or on the superstructure of the vessel. moon pool). Shafts generally form openings in this deck that are closed with removable closures so that the interior of the shaft is not exposed to environmental influences. Thus, a shaft arranged over a moon pool and closed by a closure is formed on an atrium where light naturally enters.

Another key idea of the present invention is to find that the shaft is formed downward from the upper deck, and preferably a removable closure or an openable closure is provided in the upper opening of the shaft. Can be. However, the opening of the shaft is mounted on the intermediate deck with a dome-shaped shaft cover or plate-shaped shaft cover, which is designed to allow light to pass through and to be easily removed or at least opened. Can be. In this way, so to speak, from above, first, a free shaft is formed through which one or more decks can pass light downward. The shaft then preferably includes a shaft cover on the deck that is usefully designed to prevent water leakage. The shaft cover is especially designed to allow light to penetrate into the lower region of the shaft in the direction of the moon pool. However, a plate-like cover is also conceivable, which is also removable in the case of a cargo containment type closure.

Shaft formation of this type and the shaft closure of the intermediate deck advantageously combine with the closure of the upper opening of the shaft, in particular in the form of a dome through which light can pass. Can be. In both cases, it is possible to access a module unit such as a container via a shaft and to introduce the module unit into the corresponding deck.

Through the shaft it is possible to introduce and position the working and / or research unit at an operating position provided along the shaft. This makes it possible to position the particular work and / or study unit at the corresponding operating position, depending on the study or work purpose. Also, due to the fact that the shaft is formed long upwards above the moon pool, for example on all decks adjacent to the shaft to take water samples or to lower the device into the sea through the moon pool. This shaft can be accessed.

In the following description, activities such as work processes and research measures are understood to be equivalent and similar activities in a ship-specific manner. Whether innovative ships are used for operational measurements, such as the installation of new oil drilling zones or underwater cable inspections, or for research purposes such as analyzing changes in sediment subsea or geological analysis, is not critical to the present invention. Such activities, listed here by way of example, are made quite possible through the inventive concept of a working ship in terms of multifunctional and multidisciplinary aspects.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the working and / or research unit is designed as a modular unit, in particular a research container and / or scientific equipment or components. The research container or module unit may be considered as a fully equipped work station or laboratory optimized for the research or work purpose, respectively. Furthermore, the device for arranging the working and / or research unit is preferably designed as a guide mechanism, a fixture and / or a detent mechanism at a defined operating position. For example, it can be made in the form of a guide rail. The interaction of the guide rail and the module unit allows simple positioning of the work and / or research unit in the operating position.

On the one hand, the working and / or research units are facilitated through the defined module dimensions of the module units and on the other hand through guide mechanisms, fixing mechanisms or detent mechanisms for these module units adapted to the module dimensions. I can exchange it. The introduction of working and / or research units is likewise simplified. For example, a research ship may later be refurbished to work and / or research units that are otherwise equipped so that researchers in other fields can use the ship. In addition, since the operating position of the work and research unit is provided along a shaft leading to the moon pool, there is an advantage of relatively easy access to the moon pool during the research work.

Where each work and / or research unit is provided in a stacked deck in turn, each can access the shaft and thereby the moon pool. This allows a large number of different workgroups to work in parallel in the moon pool and access the moon pool.

In order to simplify the structure of the working and / or research unit, a supply connection can be provided at the operating position. For example, they may be power and / or water supplies for work and / or research units. Likewise, but also, for example, connecting devices for the computer network of ships or external IT connecting devices, as well as supply of fresh or compressed air and corresponding supply connections according to the design of the work and / or research unit. Type supply connections are also possible. Work units designed as, for example, cooling containers for samples should be connected to the ship's power supply or cooling system.

In principle, cranes present in the port may lift work and / or research units to a proper position in the port. However, if an on-board crane is provided on the working ship, the working ship is designed so that the crane can transport the work and / or research unit located at the ship's standby position to the port or ship's location of use. Can also be seen during use. In order to facilitate transportation by the crane, the standby position must be accessible from above. Such structures allow for the use of different work and / or research units, each with a different device provided during one study or work trip. For example, a research unit in the form of a research container for biologists can be used in a work location for several days on a research trip and geological studies of such research containers to perform subsea surveys through the moon pool after a certain time, such as days. You can devise a replacement for a research container for your child. Thereby, the moon pool can be used during a single trip by other scientists, each with special equipment needed for their research, available in the moon pool area.

In a preferred embodiment at least one lifting arrangement is provided in the shaft above the moon pool. On the one hand this lifting facility can be used to transport the device from each research unit to the moon pool so that the device can be placed in water. On the other hand, it is possible to transport work and / or research units to their operating position via lifting equipment. In this case an on-board crane must be designed to transport the work and / or research unit to a specific location in or on the shaft. It can then be transported into the shaft via lifting equipment. For example, the lifting equipment can be designed with crossbeams with teeth for a longitudinal traverse with a hydraulic arm or a traveling winch.

In principle, the closure of the shaft of the upper deck can be designed as desired. However preferably the closure of the shaft is formed as a dome. This dome can be designed displaceably. This allows the dome to move between, for example, a location where the dome covers the shaft and another location where the dome exposes the upper opening of the shaft, for example, to bring the work and / or research unit down to the shaft. have. The closure can also be designed in two or more parts and the two parts of the closure can be pushed to the side. In principle, however, the closure does not need to be removable. Lift the closure from the upper opening of the shaft and use an on-board crane to transport the work and / or research unit or scientific equipment to the working position through the shaft. Positioning at the support position can also be assumed. The closure can also be designed like a pontoon in the form of a pontoon hatch cover.

It is advantageous if the closure is light-transmissive, for example it can be a single glazed or double glazed. The closure may also be designed in the form of a glass cupola type element that is removable or open. The shaft extends from the closing deck to the moon pool. In most cases, the deck area placed about this shaft in order to access the moon pool, most likely has an opening facing the shaft. In the case of a light transmissive cover, daylight can pass through the shaft to the adjacent deck. It is advantageous if a daylight reflector is provided in the shaft area to reinforce this effect.

For example, the shaft may be designed as an inner shaft with a constant diameter which is slightly larger than the base area of the moon pool and elongated unchanged to the upper opening. However, it is advantageous if the shaft is designed to widen upwards. In this case the defined operating positions can be arranged in the form of a terrace, whereby daylight can be well supplied to the operating positions through the dome through which light can pass and the work and / or research units can be easily exchanged. It becomes possible.

In order to provide a reliable and effective working environment, the closure is weatherproof in the shaft and adjacent operating positions or in work and / or research units located at these operating positions. And / or sealing the top opening in a seawater-proof manner. This makes it possible to work regardless of the weather, even in unfavorable external conditions, in the event of a storm and even when the working ship is near the poles.

For simple access to the moon pool, it is advantageous if the shaft above the moon pool includes balcony-like work projections or platforms. These working protrusions can be used to easily bring the device or object down into the moon pool or to remove it from the moon pool.

The fundamental key idea for a working ship can be found by realizing an atrium design that has a light-transmissive upper dome and access to the lower moon pool, thereby leading to the shaft. With an opening, a shaft or deck connected to its platform can be arranged like a terrace.

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to embodiments and schematic drawings:
1 shows a longitudinal cross section of an innovative working ship at the height of the main deck;
2 is a sketch of a vertical cross section of an innovative working ship in the upper area of the moon pool;
FIG. 3 shows the shaft cover of the lower deck in cross section along line III-III of FIG. 1; And
4 is a sketch showing the principle of an upwardly expanding shaft.

1 shows a longitudinal cross section of an innovative working line 1. The working ship 1 in the context of the present invention consists of, for example, a research ship, an exploration ship or a drilling ship. Various vessel superstructures 2 are provided on the vessel 1. In addition, the study line 1 shown here comprises a front door pool 3 and a rear moon pool 4. A shaft 5, such as an atrium, is formed long around the front moon pool 3. The base area of the shaft 5 thereby corresponds to the area of the circular pool 14 surrounding the moon pool 3 and the moon pool.

Unlike the front moon pool 3, the rear moon pool 4 is not located within the ship superstructure 2. The rear moon pool 4 can be used for example for sample drilling similar to known moon pools. For this purpose a corresponding facility mounted to the pipe support can be provided to take samples.

A front moon pool 3 is located within the vessel superstructure 2 and surrounded by a wall 5 such as an atrium. An operating position 9 for the working and / or research unit is provided along the shaft 5. For example, these working and / or research units may be provided in the form of a completely fixed container 11.

Four study containers 11 are provided on the deck, shown in longitudinal section, at the operating position 9 around the shaft 5 such as the moon pool 3 and the atrium. The research container 11 can be exchanged through a duct 5 such as an atrium. For this purpose there is another study container 11 in the standby position 19. For example, the standby position 19 is located in the storage area at the front of the ship or under the deck provided for this purpose. The provided research container 11 may constitute a complete work station or a constant load container for researchers in other fields. Through the exchange of the individual containers 11, the containers 11 are transported from the standby position 19 to the operating position 9 and loaded with other scientific equipment or some constant load for use in the area of the moon pool 3. You can use it.

In order to be able to exchange the container 11, the dimensions of the atrium-like shaft 5 around the moon pool 3 are such that the container 11 has an operating position 9 outside the shaft 5. It is a dimension that can be removed at and transported by an on-board crane to the standby position 19. A similar process is performed for the container 11 at the standby position 19. For example, they are transported to the operating position 9 by an on-board crane via an atrium-like shaft 5 so that the research facilities provided in this container 11 can be used for other work.

In principle, the container 11 can be transported through an external crane. The advantage of transporting on-board cranes is that the container 11 can be exchanged between the operating position 9 and the standby position 19 in a single study trip. Thus, the area around the moon pool can be flexibly converted to use for other scientific disciplines.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional basic sketch of the innovative research line 1 in the area above the moon pool 3. In this basic sketch an atrium-like shaft 5 is formed long in the moon pool 3 via two decks 6 and 8. Thereby the atrium-like shaft 5 ends in the upper region of the upper deck 6. The deck forming the highest deck above the moon pool within the scope of the invention is described as the upper deck 6. Research ships may include other, higher decks, such as navigation bridges.

An atrium-like shaft 5 forms an opening in the upper deck 6, which is sealed by a dome 7 in such a way that sea water does not leak. The dome 7 is here designed in two parts and can move sideways, for example as a half dome, exposing the shaft.

After the dome 7 has been removed from the upper opening of the shaft 5, it is possible to transport the containers to their operating position 9-as already described with respect to FIG. 1. For this purpose, the container is lowered by a crane from the top through the upper opening of the shaft 5 to the shaft 5 and placed in their operating position 9 of the deck. By providing a guide rail in the operating position 9 region for transporting the container 11 from the shaft to the operating position 9, this transfer process can be simplified.

A passage 23 is provided in the shaft wall for this purpose, the passage 23 being capable of transporting, for example, pushing the corresponding container 11 to the operating position 9 via the passage. , Has dimensions. The passageway 23 can be designed as a large door, formed without coaming.

In order to easily transport the container 11 to the operating position 9, for example, a work platform 14 can be provided on the deck in which the container 11 is inserted, the work platform being a moon pool 3. ) Is arranged above. Thereby the container 11 can be temporarily located on the work platform 24.

In order to more simply handle the container in an atrium-like shaft 5, a lifting arrangement 12 is provided in the shaft. This lifting arrangement 12 can be designed as sliding beams or crane traverses with girders with teeth for longitudinal traverses and traveling winches. Like a remote operated vehicle (ROV), this lifting facility 12 can also be used to drive heavy equipment down to the moon pool 3.

In the operating position 9 of the container 11 a corresponding feed connection for the container 11 is provided. The container 11 preferably constitutes a complete unit which must be supplied only by external actuating means. For example, according to the needs of the container 11, a power supply, water and air, a connection device for compressed air, or a connection device for a hydraulic system is provided corresponding to the operation position. In addition, large scientific facilities necessary for analysis may be located in the container 11. In addition, a corresponding fixing mechanism for the container 11 is provided in the operating position so that the container does not slip while traveling the sea. Such fasteners can be designed similarly to container fasteners in container ships.

In the embodiment addressed here, the dome 7 is light-transmissive, for example a double pane. This allows daylight to pass through the atrium-like shaft 5 to the operating position 9 of the container 11. This is additionally enhanced through the sun reflector so that daylight can pass through the research container 11.

Work decks 13 / platforms extending to the atrium-like shaft 5 are provided on the decks 6 and 8 for the easiest access to the moon pool 3 through several decks 6 and 8. Is provided. These working protrusions 13 may end up above the moon pool 3 and thus protrude up to a shaft 5 which allows vertical access to the water of the moon pool 3.

In a similar manner, work platforms 24 above the moon pool 3 may be located on each deck 6, 8 to better access the moon pool 3. Within the scope of the present invention, access to the moon pool 3 is carried out at the water level to take the tool down to the moon pool 3 or to take samples, for example from the seabed, through the moon pool 3. This means that you can work vertically above and below the water level, as well as access to the moon pool (3).

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of the research line 1 of FIG. 1. It can be seen here that the upper deck 6 above the moon pool 3 need not be the highest deck of the ship. In this case a bridge 28 further arranged in the stern direction of the research ship 1 protrudes above the upper deck 6 with respect to the moon pool 3.

In this embodiment a number of different decks 8 are arranged below the upper deck 6 and each provide an operating position 9 for the container 11. The atrium-like shaft 5 is sealed with a dome-like closure 7 in a weatherproof manner. The lower opening 31 of the moon pool 3 may also be sealed with a leaky or leaky shutter, door or pontoon, which, among other things, until the moon pool is empty This means that the water in the moon pool 3 can be pumped out and the operation unit can be assembled and built directly from the completely dried moon pool 3, thereby opening the moon pool 3 to the sea. The operation unit can be lowered or the operation unit can be measured in the moon pool 3.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, an atrium-like shaft 5 is surrounded by a circular passage 14. This circular passage provides relatively good access to the moon pool 3. The level of the moon pool 3 depends on the level 29 of the study vessel 1, which varies with weight and depth.

3 also shows that a lower deck or an intermediate deck with a shaft cover 17 can be provided on the shaft 5. This shaft cover 17 may also be usefully removable, displaceable or at least open to facilitate access to the deck and moon pool located further down through the shaft 5. have.

The shaft cover 17 is advantageously designed to allow light to pass through so that light can enter the lower deck. In another design of the shaft, the dome 7 shown is omitted entirely to form a free atrium such that the shaft 5 is free to the shaft cover 17 as initially shown. However, the combination of the dome 7 in the area of the top opening and the shaft cover 17 of the height of the deck lying below may depend on special requirements such as the operating area of the ship.

3 further shows a rescue line 32 having a displacement mechanism. In a similar manner, to move the container from the operating position to the shaft 5 or by crane or lifting installation 12 another position on the shaft, for example another operating position 9 or the standby position ( It is also possible to provide a moving mechanism for the container 11 for transporting the container to 19 or for delivering the container laterally towards the outside of the ship or the deck house or structure.

4 shows a basic sketch of a large area atrium-like shaft 5 that extends upwards. In this embodiment of an atrium-like shaft 5, each deck 6, 8 is arranged rearwardly shifted in a terrace-like manner, respectively. Each deck 6, 8 may also be considered a graduated-back level. In such a design, in particular a large amount of daylight can be transmitted through the light-transmitting dome 7 to each deck 6, 8. In each deck 6, 8, circular passages 14 are in turn arranged around the moon pool 3, but are shifted backwards in the case of the higher decks 6, 8 because the deck is formed like a terrace. In this embodiment it is possible to directly access the moon pool 3 from the deck directly located relative to the moon pool 3. However, the other decks 6, 8 may send the device or the plant down to the moon pool 3 via the lifting plant 12 provided in the shaft 5.

Another advantage of the arrangement, such as the terrace of each floor or deck 6, 8, is that the lifting tool 12 makes it easy to reach all the decks 6, 8 and the moon pool 3. Lifting tool 12 may also be used to transport material or objects between each deck 6, 8.

In another embodiment, not shown, the decks 6, 8 are arranged such that the decks 6, 8 are shifted rearward like a terrace on only one side of the shaft 5 and the other three sides of the shaft 5 are shown in FIG. 3. It could be as vertical as it did. It is possible to design the particular decks 6 and 8 to be shifted rearwards and to construct the remaining decks 6 and 8 so as not to shift rearwards over some of the rearwardly shifted decks. The exact design of the shaft 5 depends on the design of the research line 1, in particular on the environment in which they will be studied and in what areas to be performed elsewhere. Thus, two or three sides of the shaft 5 may be arranged like a terrace.

In order to transport the container 11 to the operating position, the railing 35 shown here is arranged removably so that the railing can be removed to facilitate work in the area of the railing 35. Removing the container 11 does not interfere.

In another embodiment of the shaft 5, the shaft 5 is narrowed upwards to allow direct access to the moon pool 3 only from the decks 6, 8 located above the other deck. Thus, the atrium form is designed in a "negative" form in a work-dependent or purpose-dependent manner, ie tapered upwards with or without a balcony protruding inward.

By providing an atrium-like shaft 5 over a moon pool 3 with a corresponding adjacent operating position 9, it proposes the concept of flexibly utilizing an innovative working ship, whereby The moon pool 3 can be used for other purposes.

Claims (15)

As a working ship,
A ship superstructure (2) divided into a plurality of decks stacked in turn;
Moon pool 3; And
A shaft 5 extending upwardly from the moon pool 3,
The shaft 5 is formed up to the upper deck 6 and thereby forms an upper opening,
At least one of the upper opening and the opening formed by the shaft 5 in the lower deck is provided with a removable closure 7 or a closure 7 designed for the opening,
A facility for arranging exchangeable work or research units 11 is provided along the shaft 5 in at least one deck 8 at a defined operating position 9,
The shaft 5 and the adjacent defined operating position 9 are designed to introduce the exchangeable work or research unit,
A supply connection is formed for providing at least one of a power supply, a water supply and a communication network,
The workable work or research unit is designed as a modular unit. The method of claim 1,
Said exchangeable work or research unit is designed as a container, scientific unit or component. The method of claim 1,
A working line, characterized in that a guide mechanism, a fixing mechanism or a detent mechanism is used as the device arranged at the defined operating position (9). The method of claim 1,
Work line, characterized in that an on-board crane is provided for transporting the exchangeable work or research unit (11) between the defined operating position (9) and the designated standby position (19). The method of claim 1,
At least one lifting arrangement (12) is provided on the shaft (5) above the moon pool (3). The method of claim 1,
Working line, characterized in that the closure 7 is designed as a shaft cover in the form of a dome or plate. The method of claim 1,
A working line, characterized in that the closure 7 is movably arranged and designed to expose the opening of the shaft. The method of claim 1,
Working line, characterized in that the closure 7 is designed to be light-transmissive. The method of claim 1,
A work line, characterized in that a daylight reflector is provided in the region of the shaft 5. The method of claim 1,
Said closure (7) is designed as a weatherproof and seawater-proof closure of the opening of said shaft. The method of claim 1,
Working line, characterized in that the defined operating positions (9) are arranged in a terrace-type in the forward or reverse direction. The method of claim 1,
The shaft 5 comprises a balcony-like platform or work protrusion 13 above the moon pool 3,
Working platform, characterized in that the platform or working projection can be coupled to the shaft 5 widening upwards. The method of claim 5,
The lifting device 12 is located in the upper deck 6 area,
The lifting device 12 is adapted to transport objects in the operating position 9, the working protrusion 13 or the moon pool 3 or in the operating position 9, the working protrusion 13 and the door pool 3. a working ship, characterized in that it is designed to transport objects between moon pools; The method of claim 1,
A closure 17 of the opening of the shaft 5 is provided below the upper deck. 15. The method of claim 14,
The upper region of the shaft 5 forms a free atrium.

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